I’ve been looking for ways to reduce the amount of sugar (both processed and unprocessed) that I eat as a way to help heal my gut and digestion. These are a great option for that nighttime post-dinner ritual with a cup of one of my other recent favorites, Four Sigmatic’s Hot Cacao with Reishi.

The only downside to these cookie dough bites is that I wanted to eat all of them!!

This recipe was inspired by Magdalena of Hormones Balance’s Cashew Butter Protein Balls. I didn’t have cranberries like her recipe called for, and I was craaaaving chocolate (a sign that my body needed some magnesium). Plus, who wouldn’t choose chocolate over cranberries? :)

Salted Cookie Dough Bites

Makes: 12-15 servings

Time: Less than 30 minutes

Ingredients:

¾ cup raw cashews

2 cups hot water

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, plus extra if necessary

½ cup almond flour

⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

½ cup stevia sweetened chocolate chips (I enjoy Lily’s brand)

sea salt, to taste

Directions:

Place the cashews in a large bowl and cover them with hot water. Let the cashews soak in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain the cashews thoroughly over a strainer.

Place the soaked cashews in the bowl of your high-speed blender or food processor and process for a few minutes until you get a very thick paste. You will need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides of your blender every once in a while. Add in the melted coconut oil and process a bit more until you get a thick but smooth cashew butter. If needed, add a bit more coconut oil.

In a large bowl, combine the cashew butter, almond flour, unsweetened shredded coconut, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract and water and mix until you get a homogeneous mixture, much like the texture of cookie dough.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips and sea salt until they are evenly distributed.

Scoop one tablespoon (or, if you’re like me, a small handful) of dough and roll it into a small ball between your palms. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. You should be able to get 12 bites.

Eat immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

What’s your favorite nighttime ritual: herbal tea? A little TV? A bowl of ice cream? It’s interesting to notice your own rituals and realize why they’re there in the first place. Try crowding out rituals that aren’t serving you with this recipe!